South Africa shooting: 'Unknown gunmen' kill 9 people

Gunmen are said to have opened fire in a township near Johannesburg. At least 9 are dead and several others injured, local media have reported.

At least nine people were killed in a shooting in a township near Johannesburg, South Africa early Sunday when gunmen open fired, police officials said.

"Some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen," a police statement said. Officials told- the French AFP news agency that the motive for the shooting is still unknown. 

Police initially said 10 people were killed but later revised the toll down. At least 10 others were injured and taken to a hospital.

What do we know so far?

The shooting took place at about 1 am (23:00 GMT) near a local bar in Bekkersdal. Some 40 kilometres (25 miles) southwest of Johannesburg, Bekkersdal is an impoverished area close to some of South Africa's major gold mines.

An estimated 12 attackers in a white ‍minibus and a silver sedan "opened fire at tavern patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene," a police statement said.

Police officials have launched a manhunt for the attackers.

South Africa has a high number of illegal guns in circulation despite relatively strict ownership laws. 

An average of 63 people were killed each day between April and September, according to police data. A large number of the deaths were related to organized crime and gang violence.

Edited by: Rana Taha